Winston Churchill as a Soldier: The Military Life of a Gentleman at War [Hardcover]

... stands as required reading for anyone wanting to understand the career of one of the most consequential figures of the 20th century.  Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with DestinyAs a young man Winston Churchill set out to become a hero, to make a name for himself in the public eye as a soldier and so make possible a life of politics and statesmanship. There were many chances to fail and many close calls in the face of sword, spear and bullet along the way. Yet Churchill survived and succeeded- an early measure of his courage and stubborn will that the world would come to know so well in the Second World War.This is the first full-length, fully-researched biography of Churchills colourful military career. Using an unrivalled range of sources, and with previously unpublished photographs, and detailed maps by Sir Marin Gilbert, it brings vividly to life Churchills motives, abilities, experiences, successes and failures, and his unswerving sense of destiny as an officer in the British Army. The result is a story to echo the man himself- rich in action, courage, charismatic self-belief, patriotism and humour. ... stands as required reading for anyone wanting to understand the career of one of the most consequential figures of the 20th century. It is important that this part of Churchills life should have found so keen a portraitist.&this is a most valuable, well-written and scholarly work& Churchillians will want to read and admire it. ... essential reading for anyone interested in understanding Churchill and how his political career was underpinned, shaped and informed by his time in the army. I would recommend it as a key text, one that stands out in the field, with appeal to a wide general readership. To understand Winston Churchill, one has to appreciate his time serving with the army, where so many of his character traits were shaped. No book does this nearly as well as Doug Russells volume, which gives an exhaustive overview of every asplS¹